DA steps up commercial cultivation of malunggay

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Agriculture (DA) is stepping up the propagation of malunggay seedlings for massive commercial cultivation.

Malunggay seeds are used to produce an all-purpose oil which has a big demand in the international market, while malunggay leaves are used for food and feed processing.

The DA-Biotechnology Program Office has been promoting the backyard cultivation of malunggay in Metro Manila to help address the prevalent problem of malnutrition among urban poor families. 

Alicia Ilaga, outgoing chief of the DA-BPO, pointed out that some of the malunggay nurseries put up with their help have been damaged recently.

She assured, however, that enough seeds have been produced and are ready to be transplanted.

“We are just waiting for the right timing to transplant the seeds,” Ilaga said.

According to the Moringa Growers Association of the Philippines, Inc. (MGAPI), as of last month, the CARAGA Moringa Farmers Association has 30,000 seedlings, Western Cebu Moringa Farmers’ Association, 15,000 seedlings; Cam Sur Moringa Farmers’ Association, 60,000 seedlings; CVC Moringa Farmers’ Association, 75,000 seedlings; First Congressional District Malunggay Planters Association, 30,000 seedlings; Integrated Farners’ Association for Malunggay Production of Camarines Norte, 20,000 seedlings; Misamis Occidental, ZANorte Moringa Farmers’ Association, 65,000 seedlings; and Nueva Moringa Planters Association, 50,000 seedlings.

Meanwhile, farmers are set to gather to boost the development of the malunggay industry in the Philippines at the second Malunggay National Congress on Nov. 24 at the De La Salle University in Manila.

Organized by the DA-BPO together with the Biotechnology Information and Organization Network (BIONet) and the College of Science - De La Salle University, the meeting will be attended by members of the academe, research and extension personnel of government and non-government agencies, growers and processors of malunggay, and the business community.

The gathering will present malunggay research outputs, as well as the business climate of the moringa or malunggay industry in the Philippines.

Ilaga said the event will be highlighted by the launching of the Malunggay Bionegosyo Database, and the opening of an exhibit and business matching.

Ilaga said malunggay can emerge from a mere backyard vegetable-tree into a commercially-viable vegetable crop in the country, as more and more farmers are enthusiastic about the developments in the malunggay industry.

She said there is an increasing demand for malunggay planting materials because of the economic opportunities of planting malunggay, whether for backyard farming or for commercial cultivation. 

Scientists are being prodded to try producing biofuels from moringa oil as substitute for biofuel produced from coconut oil.